Drinking from an Empty Cup
by Is Sales
Summary: Katniss died in the arena, Gale's reaction. Based on the song The Animals were Gone, by Damien Rice.
1. Chapter 1

Once again, I'm laying in my bed, late at night. The sky is so beautiful, full of stars, and I remember how you love the stars so much; are you near the stars, Catnip? Are you alright in the heaven? You do know I don't believe in God, but I hope you're with Him, and I hope he'll treat you well. And I also don't believe in angels, but I hope they're quiet listening you sing.

Katniss, Catnip, where are you? I need you here. They murdered you. They freaking murdered you and I won't forgive them ever. I will fight, I will kill every single one of them, I will make them pay, I will make they beg for your forgiveness. I need you. I really do. Why did you have to go away? I won't hear your voice anymore, I won't hear your laugh, I won't touch you, I won't feel the warm of your skin ever again. I never did and I never will touch your lips. It's not fair. It can't be. They took you away and they murdered you.

* * *

That boy, Peeta, came home. I haven't seen him. I actually haven't got out of bed for two days, but know I have to. Your family needs me, Catnip. Your mom and Prim. I'll protect them. I'll protect them no matter what, I'll never let anything or anyone do any harm on both of them.

I get out of bed, and go to our small living room, and my mom looks at me, quite afraid.

"Gale…"

"I'm ok, mum." I mumbled. But I'm not. I'm not ok. I'll never be. Because you're gone, Catnip, and the world isn't right when you're not alive. I walk outside, and I follow straight to the woods. It's the same thing that has been two weeks ago. The birds are singing, the animals run away from me, the trees are still as always. They're basically saying at my face "Everything is normal."

"It's not normal!" I scream, punching a tree. "IT'S NOT NORMAL, CATNIP IS GONE, FOREVER. I'M NEVER GOING TO SEE HER AGAIN." I feel my eyes filled up with water, and for the first time in my life, I'm not ashamed to cry. I sit on the floor and I cry. I'm just done, Catnip. I can't even be angry right now, I can't feel a thing, I only feel emptiness. District 12 is empty without you, the woods are empty without you,_ I am_ empty without you.

* * *

I may have hunted something. I don't remember anymore. I don't even care anymore; life has no sense at all. I took the things to your family. You'll be happy to know that your mom hasn't shut down. She's sad, but she's doing her best to help Prim out. Prim is a mess. She's in the bedroom all day, your mom says. I promise, Catnip, tomorrow I'll hang out with her, I'll make her smile. I won't let her be sad. I finally get home after a long day. My mom looks at me but say nothing. I must look pathetic, with my red eyes, but I don't mind. I drop the food and mumbled a "I'm not hungry" and go straight to my bedroom, to lay down again. It's been three days I don't sleep, and I'm tired. I'm just too tired, Katniss. Where are you? Why are you gone?

I close my eyes, and finally fall asleep. And I hope I don't wake up. Waking up without you, it's like drinking from an empty cup.


	2. Chapter 2

I wake up, after a long rest, with Posy besides my bed, jumping up and down.

"It's your birthday!" she said, cheerfully. But it's not my birthday. My birthday is only on July 30th and… I look at the calendar, which is showing March 30th. I slept for two days, and my mom didn't even wake me up. I let Prim and her mom without food for two days! But Posy is smiling, she's so happy that is my birthday, and she has a draw in her hand, that I force myself to smile.

"What is that? A present?" She nodded, excited. I watch the draw, and I can see a tall guy that it's probably me, and a little girl that is hugging him. "It's that me and you?"

"Yes!" I hug her and thank her. She's just so small. She's four now. She doesn't really understand what the games are for. She just now that when it ends, and the people don't go back home, is that they're never coming back. She looks like you, Catnip. With her dark brown hair, and grey eyes, she loves doing braids too. She admired you, Katniss. She was always talking about you; even more that I do. But, not likely you, she smile more. Maybe it's because life hasn't been cruel to her yet. I'll protect her. They won't take her, or Prim away, Catnip. I promise, they won't.

* * *

After a couple hours, I get rid of my family. I know I sound mean, but they're happy. My mom's still a bit sad, and Rory is the only one who really understands that Katniss died. I walk away, and I was thinking about going to the woods, but I changed my mind. I'll apologize for not feeding them for two days. I can go to the woods after that. It's Sunday. I knock on the door, and mrs. Everdeen open it up. She looks ok, Catnip, don't worry about her. Maybe she has stopped crying.

"I'm sorry I didn't show up for two days, I was…"

"Oh, Gale, it's ok. We really appreciate your help but… I don't think we need it anymore."

"What do you mean?" My first thought was that Prim learned how to hunt, but that was impossible.

"That boy, Peeta… He feels bad, you know, he blames himself. And since his family doesn't need all the food that they get, he offered half of it to us. You can hunt for your family now, Gale. Thank you for all your help."

I stand there, speechless. Peeta could help them. Peeta would help them, he wouldn't even have to starve to help.

"It's ok." I mumbled. "I… just came to see Prim."

"Oh." Mrs. Everdeen said. "Gale, she isn't really in the mood…"

"I don't mind." I have to make her smile. For you, Catnip. I know you wouldn't want her to be sad.

"She's in her bedroom." Probably she thought I'm stubborn like you. And we both know that I am. I walk in, and I found Prim in her bed, looking at nowhere. She has shut down. I sat beside her, and play with her hair.

"Hi, Prim." I whisper. She looks at me, with her eyes filled with sadness.

"Hi, Gale." She replies, though her voice sounded like she hasn't speaks for days. "What are you doing here? That boy, Peeta, will feed us. You don't need to come here anymore, if you don't want to."

"But I want to. You're Katniss' sister. I want to protect you."

"That's sweet." She whisper, but again, her eyes are staring into nowhere.

"Wanna go to the woods?" I say, in a last try.

"Can you show me where you and Katniss used to hang out?"

"Of course."

"Then I want to."

See, Catnip? I got her out of bed. We're both healing, slowly. But we are.

* * *

Please review if you like it! (: or if you don't. Really, just review, I like to know what people think.


	3. Chapter 3

I pass the fence, and hold it up to Prim. She didn't even had to bind, cause she's little enough to pass without curving her back.

"Can you show me how to use the bow?" I look at her. She so different of you, with her blonde hair and big blue eyes; she must miss you even more than I do. "Gale?" she calls, taking me out of my thoughts.

"Sure" I say, even though I'm not really good in the bow and arrow. You know, Catnip, we were a perfect pair. I do the snares, and you shoot. Or you used to shoot. I already told you this, but it feels so wrong to be in the woods without you. We were a pair, and know you're gone, and I'm by myself. It hurts more than you can imagine.

I take the bow and the arrows out of the place you used to hide them, and I look at it, trying to imagine how to use it. Prim is looking at me with curiosity. You told me she would freak out in the woods but she looks really calm. Maybe is because being in the woods feels like you're somewhere near. I found an apple in the tree, and I prepare the arrow for the shooting, feeling a little stupid. Remember when you tried to teach me? It didn't end well, but it was a nice day. A lazy Sunday, two years ago, when the reaping already had gone and both of us were still at home. I gave after two wrongs shoots, and you were laughing at me, but you didn't let me give up until I get an apple. I did. But it was a lucky shoot, but I never told you this. My hands continued to hurt like hell for a week, but I didn't care, even though you thought I did, since I complained all the time, just to make you laugh. And then, the next day, I teach you to make some snares, and you learned so fast. You're a smart one. You could have made through the games. But you didn't. Maybe it was Peeta's fault. It was right after you kissed him. You went to take his medicine, and then that girl from district 2… She killed you. She killed you with her knife, and I don't know what happened next. I wasn't feeling anything anymore. I couldn't believe. "The girl on fire is dead!" said the men that narrate the games. They said with a cheerful voice, like it was something amazing, something great, a big turn on the game. "The girl on fire is dead!" their voices were still in my head for days. _ Dead. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, as they know, and Catnip for me. My Catnip. My best friend, the only girl I was ever in love with. She was gone, forever. _It hurted like hell, Catnip, it still does, truth be told. I told I was healing? I'm not. I can put a band-aid and pretend I'm alright if you want to, but I will never be healed. I finally point the arrow to the height, and I shoot straight into the apple.

"This is how you use it, Prim." I said, as I walk away, and she follows me. I show her all the places we used to hang out, even though weren't so many. There is the lake where you teach me how to swim, and we used to spend at least one day a week swimming there. Prim was afraid of it, she had never swam before. I thought you had teached her too, Catnip. But don't worry. I can teach her if she wants to. I show her the two rocks who served as two chairs for us, when we were too lazy or tired to get to the hill. Even though I tried to avoid it all day long, I had to show her the hill. I didn't want to go there, Catnip. It was the last place we were together before the reaping. Before everything. But I did, because of Prim. We sat there, and I thought what would be like if we really had run away with our families. Prim wouldn't be reaped. You wouldn't volunteer. You wouldn't go the Capitol, they wouldn't know you as the Girl on Fire, Peeta would never talk about his love, and you would be here by my side. But you're not. Because life isn't fair.

"Do you miss her?" Prim asked, breaking the silence.

"I do. More than anything. You?" She nods, looking really sad. "She's in a better place, Prim. I bet she doesn't have the games to worry about wherever she is right now."

"I just her back." She mumbled. "She was the only one who understood me. Why did they have to take her away?"

"I don't k…" I start to say but Prim cuts me off.

"It's my fault, you know." She was in the edge of tears. "She volunteered because of me, if I had gone to the games, she would be alive…"

"Prim…" I say, as I sit closer to her, and hugging her softly. She was so small that I felt like breaking her. "It's not your fault. Don't you ever say that again, do you understand? Never. Katniss would volunteer you wanting that or not. It's not your fault, it's the Capitol fault."

"I hate the Capitol." She hissed.

"Me too, Prim. But there's nothing that we can do." It was, but I wasn't going to tell her that. You're right, Catnip. She wouldn't survive in the woods. She's strong, but she couldn't handle being in an unknown place, without you.

We stay quiet for a little while, she's playing with the flowers, even though I'm still hugging her.

"Does he loves her?" I mumbled. I don't have to say who "He" is. She knows, of course she does. She's a smart kid, she wouldn't help of noticing how much I love her sister, and how jealous I was of Peeta.

"Not as much as you do."

* * *

Thank you guys for the review, this is a longer chapter and I need to know if you prefer the lines like this:

"Not as much as you do."

or like this

"Not as much as you do."

cause then I'll write the way you guys find better cause I really don't mind pressing tab.

Please read and review (:


	4. Chapter 4

First of all, thank you so much for the reviews, it really means a lot to me!

And I'm sorry to any grammar mistake in this chapter. I'm not using word, so nobody is correcting it for me, and English is not my first language so...

* * *

I drop Prim at your house, and she smiles really weakly. But it's a smile.

"Can you come here tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry, Prim. I have to work. But you can hang out with Rory after school, is that ok?" Rory would actually love to spend some time with Prim, but I wouldn't tell her this.

"I guess... I guess that is ok." she says. "Good night, Gale. And good luck on your first day at work." I nod, and say goodbye to her and her mom, and then I leave. I would need luck on my first day at work. I would need luck everyday at work. But most of all, I would need you, Catnip, to be around, so I could make throught the day in that freaking mines. But I don't have you anymore. I don't have anything anymore.

* * *

The day has finally come. First day at work. First day I'll go to the place where both of our dads died, first day I'll go down in the elevator to be compressed on the underground, and work there for the rest of my life. First day, and not even close to be the last one.

It's the first time my mom wakes me up since you went away. Maybe she was afraid I would snap. I have a small breakfast, and leave after half an hour. I'm afraid, Katniss. Again. Since you left, fear is by my side like a shadow, all the time. They've became my best friends. Fear, depression, angst. They're like the unholy trinity. I'm afraid to go down that elevator and never go back again. I'm afraid of spending 12 hours on underground, without the sunlight. I need sun to live, Catnip. I need trees around me, I need the sound of the water and of the animals, I need the fresh air, I need the smell that the woods have. And I need you. And right now, I can't have any of this. And the most important thing I won't have it back ever again. I see Rory walking to school, besides Prim. They'll make good friends. Maybe even a pair like me and you, Catnip. I'm walking to the mines, even though the woods seem to call me even more that they already did. I stop walking, and look. I don't need to take my family, do I? I teached Rory how to hunt a little, and I'm sure Prim would want to help them. I could run away, forever. Away from them, away from the mines, away from the Capitol. But... But I couldn't run away from your death. A blonde girl is on front of me, when I start walking again.

"What do you want?" I ask, harshly. It's that girl, your friend, Madge.

"I... Gale, she was my friend too."

"Yeah. I know." What's the point of talking about you? Do they want to make me suffer even more? I feel like crying just thinking about you, why would I want to talk about.

She wasn't expecting such a rude reaction. She opened her mouth in chock, but closed it again after a few seconds.

"You don't have to be so rude!"

"I don't have to be..." I laugh, darkly. "I don't have to be so rude! Of course I don't. I mean, I just lost the girl I'm in love with for five years, because of a stupid and sick Capitol games, that you don't even have to worry about! Why would the mayor's daughter worry about something like that? She would never get reaped." She opened her mouth, but I cut her before she could say anything. "Do you now where I'm going now, Madge? I'm going to the place where my father and Katniss' father died. I'm going to stay there, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, until the rest of my life, working for the freaking Capitol! Do you what your perfect father gave me after my dad died? He gave me a medal. My father died and he gave me a medal. He should have got my family some food, but he gave me a medal! Now, if you excuse me, I have to go work, and maybe pray I don't die. Or maybe pray I do. It doesn't really matters anymore." And I left, leaving her behind. I'm sorry of being so rude to her, Katniss, but she wasn't so sorry about you. She didn't understand, she never would. The people from the Capitol don't understand the horror of the games, and even though she wasn't from there, I'm pretty sure she doesn't understand either.

* * *

I breath deeply, before getting into the elevator. The most of them are people from the Seam, like me and you. But they're older. They don't have any bright in their eyes, their hands are dirty and hurt. They have losted their lifes to the Capitol. But well, Capitol has all of us. They own us, they own our soul. They own everything. Even me, even you. We should have take off. If only regret could kill...

They all look at me like I'm from another planet.

"It's him." one of them whisper. "The boyfriend of that Everdeen girl... She never had something with Peeta, it was fake."

"They used to always be together, remember?"

"Didn't they hunt together or something like that?"

"Poor guy."

"He's just a boy, he'll find another person."

I feel like punching them. Can I punch them? They don't know _anything_.

When the elevator finally stops, and the door closed, the angst - and the freedom - faded away. It was replaced with fear, pressure and anxiety. I feel lost. I'm so lost, Catnip. I'm so freaking lost. Where are you? Are you in the woods? Maybe you run away without me...Why would you do that? Are you with Peeta? Do you love him more than you love me? Do you even love me?

I close my eyes, and lean my head in the wall. Only half an hour in this place and I'm already going crazy. "You're dead." I say to myself. "You're not in the woods. You're dead. I'm never going to see you again, you're gone, and daydreaming about you won't bring you back." If only it could be that easy to forget you...

Second after second. Minute after minute. Hour after hour. Digging. Don't you dare stop digging, they'll punish you. Don't you dare to complain, they'll punish you. Don't you dare to raise your voice, they'll punish you. Don't you dare to think about it; they'll punish you. You shouldn't think. You're a robot. A machine. You've been build up for digging, and digging you will be doing. Nothing more, nothing less.

It's over. The day is over. I'm in the elevator again, and my mind clears up a bit. I'm alive. I'm still alive. The fresh air fills up my lungs, and I walk to my home, once again. The sun has already gone, and the moon was high in the sky. I get home, but something is wrong. Two peacekeepers are in the front of the door, talking to my mom.

"Mum, what's wrong?" I ask, when I get close enough for them to hear me.

"Are you Gale Hawthorne?" one of the peacekeepers, a new one, that I've never seen before. Now that I notice, there is a lot of new peacekeepers, walking down the streets, and I hear a weird noise coming from the fence. Like the noise it makes when it's turned on.

"Yes, I am. Why?"

"You will be punished."

"What? Why?" I ask, taking a step back.

"Because of your public display of scorn for the Capitol. The Hunger Games are here to keep Panem safe to you. The Hunger Games are here to remind the people to keep loyal to the Capitol. President Snow thinks that District 12 is being a bit of a rebel. Things are going to change in here. They are going to change for good."


	5. Chapter 5

And again, Catnip, I'm afraid. Not for myself. I don't care about the pain. But they can't kill me. I didn't teach Rory how to hunt; well, he does hunt, but I'm not sure if he can feed our family. And how about Prim? I have to take care of her. Two peacekeepers grab my arms and drag me to the center of the square. It's different now. How could I know seen this when I was coming home? There's a wooden post in the center of the square, and the people are opening the window of their houses to know what's going on. My mom didn't come, but Rory is there. She probably stayed with Posy and Vick at home. She wouldn't want them to see what was going to happen. But I see Mrs. Everdeen, with Prim by her side. And I also see people getting to watch what was going to happen. I search for Cray. He's kind of a friend of mine. He could stop this, if he wanted to. But I can't find him, and the crown gets bigger and bigger. People from the Seam, people from the city, I even get a glimp of Madge.

The new peacekeepers bond my hands in the post, and all I can face it's the wood. It's an uncomfortable position, but this is not what I'm worried about. The peacekeeper begins to talk, but I'm not listening. _I'm sorry, Catnip. I failed you. _I feel a movement behind me, and I prepare myself for what's going to happen. I feel the whip hit my back, and I hold down my scream. I won't scream. They won't see me cry. They won't hear me scream. I will not bow to them. They took you away. I would get whipped a hundred times if needed, but I will not bow to them.

Another lash and I hold my scream again. Its hurts, Catnip. I feel the warm blood runs through my back, and my whole body is aching.

Another one. I don't scream. I won't scream. You didn't cried at the Reaping, I won't scream today. I'll be as strong as you were.

Another lash. I don't know it is the third one or the thirty. I've lost count already. I feel the blood dripping from my back, and the rope cutting my wrist.

_Lash._ Maybe I should scream. Maybe I should give up. I don't have you anymore, I could die. I could go away, I could be with you, I don't care.

Another one, and I hope it's the last. I know I'll break anytime soon. I fall to my knees, I can't stand on my feet anymore.

"Stop!" I hear a boy's voice screaming. "Stop it, you'll kill him!"

And everything goes black.

* * *

Am I going crazy, Catnip? Everything is so confuse. I see little white lights in my vision, but the darkness is the main part. My back hurts. Why does it hurt? No. It doesn't hurt, it burns. I wanna scream, it hurts like hell. Slowly I recover my vision. I'm at Mrs. Everdeen's house, laying on the couch. I look around, I search for you. But you aren't there. My mom isn't there either, she's probably working, but he have Rory sitting on the floor, talking in a low tone with Prim, and they both don't notice that I'm awake. Mrs. Everdeen is gathering some herbs, I think it's for my back. And I also see someone that I didn't expect to. Mellark boy.

"Where's Catnip?" I ask. You're probably in the woods, right? You'll get home soon. I know you will. Those two words makes everyone in the room look at me, with a worried look. No one was the guts to answer. "So, where's she?" I ask again.

"She's… She is dead." The Mellark boy answer, looking miserable.

And then it hit me. You went to the games. You died. You're gone. The peacekeepers got into District 12. And I was the first person they decided to punish. I close my eyes again.

"Gale?" Rory calls, quietly. I grunt in answer. "You… You have two weeks free."

"That's good." I whisper. At least I will have two weeks free of that freaking mines.

"And… And I kinda…"

"You kind of what?" I ask in a rude tone.

"Took out some tesserae."

"You did what?" I ask, trying to sit down, but the pain fills up my body, that I lay down again.

"I had to. The Reaping is two weeks ago, and, well, you can't work."

"I could hunt or…" I whisper, trying to hard not to faint.

"The fence is on." I grunt again, closing my eyes.

"Leave him now, Rory, he needs to sleep."

Your sister is right, Catnip. I do need to sleep. Forever.

* * *

I'm not really proud of this chapter, and it's really short, but well, it's the best I can do. I'm not good with physical pain.


	6. Chapter 6

I spend most of my time sleeping. My world tends to fall apart when I'm awake, you see. Actually, the real thing is that in my dreams, you're alive, and in real life, you're not. In my dreams, there is no Capitol, there is no Hunger Games. And the most important thing that exists in my dream is the thing I miss the most: you. You exist, and that's what it makes it bearable to live in the dream world, Catnip. But unfortunately, I can't live in the dream world forever.

It's been one week since the whipping. My back is healing, painfully, just like my heart. Your mom told me that the scars will always be there. My back will never be the same. Neither my heart. I slept most of the time, and when I was awake, I pretended I was sleeping. It was easy that way. I also am in my bedroom right now. I mean the bedroom I share with Rory. He helped me to get here, in the third day. I couldn't stand being in the living room all day, so I moved to the bedroom. It was easier to sleep here anyway.

"Is he alright?" asked your mom's voice, in the living room.

"He's… He's doing ok." My mom answered, quietly.

"Since Gale helped was so much when Katniss were… were away, I thought you may need some food, since Gale can't work or hunt…"

"We signed Rory to get some tesserae… But thank you so much, that was really kind of you."

"Tomorrow Prim can get some more. She's getting worried again, about the reaping. Can she come here? To see Gale."

"He sleeps all the time, but let her come in the lunch time, he'll be awake."

They talk for a little longer, and then she leaves. I hear the noise of a door open, but looking away from the ceiling requires an effort that I'm not in the mood to make.

"Gale?"

"I'm sleeping, Rory, leave me alone."

"You're not sleeping, you're talking to me!"

"I talk when I sleep." I heard him doing a noise of frustration.

"Anyway, mom is saying that lunch is ready. Do you wanna eat?"

"No."

"But you have to, you didn't eat anything in the past two days."

"Don't care."

"You're going to get ill."

"Rory, get out."

He gives up, and leaves. I know I'll have to be in the living room today. At least at night. The Quarter Quell announcement. Before that girl from district 2 did _that_ to you, I was only hoping that the Quarter Quell wouldn't be something has the victors having to go back to the arena. But now I don't care anymore. I just pray that Prim and Rory won't get reaped. I can't volunteer for either of them.

* * *

The night comes, and it's another day that I don't have to go to the mines, so I guess it wasn't such a bad day. I don't have good days anymore. I have terrible days, and bad days. I sit in the couch, and Posy smiles to me. I try to force a smile, but it doesn't come out really convincing. The peacekeepers entered our home, and one of them is the one that whipped me. He smiled to me, mockingly. If I were able to, I would punch him in the face. But of course I couldn't. I'm weak, Catnip. I'm freaking weak. I'm torn, I'm not the same anymore. I don't where to run, I don't know what to do. I need you with me; I'm not complete without you.

My mom turns on the TV, and the Panem's anthem starts to play. We heard, once again, the story of Panem, the Dark Days, how District 13 is today, and all this crap. And then, President Snow shows up, gives his speech as usually, just changing the end, saying a little of the Quarter Quell. All I can hear is "We're going to take the most important people in your life, put them in the arena, and get them murdered. But every 25 years, we'll make it even worst." Of course I couldn't say it out loud. The peacekeeper kept looking at me like I was a meal. An Avox brings a little box, which President Snow open, and take a small piece of paper, and read it out loud.

"In the 3rd Quarter Quell, there'll be 48 tributes." That's not new, I think. It's weird. I mean, it happened in the 2nd Hunger Games. "But… Any person of any age can volunteer to the Hunger Games." The screen goes black. I can volunteer for Rory. But there's twice the chance that Prim will get reaped.

But I just pray the odds are in her favor.


	7. Just a little warning

So, well, tomorrow I have a big test, and I'll start to post a chapter every Saturday. I'm sorry to not come here this week, but school is getting harder, but I'll try to do my best. So, see you Saturday with a new chapter (:

And thanks for the reviews, it means a lot to me, really.


	8. Chapter 7

Prim sleepover here last night. She was afraid. Afraid she was going to be reaped. Afraid that she was going to die. I did the thing that seemed right. I hugged her and whispered that everything was going to be fine. It didn't work so well like it does when it's you, but it helped a little. Rory is afraid too, but he doesn't show it. There's 10 papers with his name on it. At least Prim only have two. I look around. Prim is sleeping with my mom, and Rory is sleeping in the bed besides mine. He seems peaceful. Maybe he didn't notice that today is the day of the reaping. I wish I could volunteer for both of them. But I can't protect them both, Catnip. But I can't let her die. Not after what you did for her.

I get up slowly, not moving my back to much. It's full of scar, but I'm not sure if the wound will open if I move too much or something. It has been 2 weeks, though. Since tomorrow is Sunday, I still have a free day. I go to the kitchen, and I see my mom sitting in the couch, worried.

"Is Prim alright?" I ask.

"Still sleeping." We stay quiet for a few moments.

"I'm going for a walk." I mumble, and leave. I have an idea, Catnip. I'm going to safe your sister, no matter what. I'll do what you'd have wanted me to do. Keep her safe. Keep her alive.

* * *

I stop in the front of the major's house, and I think what should I do know. I mean, normally we had some strawberries to give him, and we weren't here to ask his daughter to volunteer to death. But, fortunately, I won't have to say such thing to him. Madge is in the backyard, reading a book.

"Madge!" I call, and she looks at me, with a harsh look in her eyes. And now I remember what I said to her last time I saw her. "I… Well… I'm sorry." I say. I know that if you were here, you'd be rolling your eyes at my stupid attempt to apologize. "But I need your help."

"Oh, now you need my help?"

I clenched my teeth. "Don't be rude." I can hear your voice in my mind. "You need her. Don't be rude."

"Yes. Yes, I do. Please. Is about Katniss."

She looks at me again, and now she's interested.

"What do you want?"

"You know them. They'll get Prim reaped. And they'll kill her in the arena, and you know it. They'll do that to show that fighting is hopeless."

"But what I can do?"

I took a deep breath.

"I need you to volunteer for Prim." She opens her mouth, afraid, of course. She's doesn't want to volunteer. "Please. If you go in her place, I'll volunteer for the boys, doesn't matter if it's Rory or not, and in the arena, I'll make sure you get home alive. I promise."

"I'll volunteer." She says slowly. "But I don't want you to try to keep me alive. If Rory doesn't get reaped, you won't volunteer. And if he does, in the arena, we'll be both apart. I don't want your help. Just because I'm the major's daughter doesn't mean I'm useless. I can stay alive by myself." I look into her eyes hoping that she's kidding with me, but she's dead serious.

"Right." I say. "If you say so." I lie.

"Gale, promise me you won't volunteer for me. Promise me. Promise me in the name of Katniss."

"I… I promise." I mumble.

I swear, Catnip. Her pride is going to kill her.

I get home, and I see that Prim isn't here anymore.

"She went home." Rory says, and when I look at him, I realize he's wearing his best clothes, that were once mine. "To get ready." He seems like he wants to say something.

"Yes?"

"Look, Gale, you… You don't need to volunteer if I get reaped. I'm not afraid. I can survive. I can win." I sigh. He's trying to act like he stronger than everyone thinks. Like you did, Catnip. But he's only 13. And there will be 47 other people in the arena. That means 12 careers. This is a scary thought even for me.

"Nice try, buddy. Now let's go." I say, as I get up, and leave the house with him. My mom, Posy and Vick are probably there. I can imagine what is going to be like next year. Rory can get reaped. Vick can get reaped. I just hope this all ends before Posy can get reaped.

* * *

When we get there, it doesn't seem so different for the last year. There is the major, sitting in his chair, Haymitch. This year he seems even more drunk, but probably too depressed to do a show like last year. He cared about you, Catnip. There's also Effie sitting next to him. She liked you too, because she seems slightly sad today. And then, the difference of the year. The new mentor. Peeta Mellark, wearing expensive Capitol's clothes. His eyes are out of focus. Probably wanting you to be besides him, or even in his place. He have the peacekeepers in the corners of the place, and I see Prim standing on the second line in the girls side, looking quite pale, and wearing one of your old dresses. I also see Madge in the last line, and she looks at me and nods. I would never forgive myself if she dies because of something I asked her for. The major gets up and say the same speech he says every year, and then, he sit down. We have to watch the stupid video of the stupid story of this stupid country once again. And then, Effie gets up, and walk to the microphone.

"First… The girls." She puts her hand in the glass ball, and grabs a tiny paper. "Emma Parker!" a pale girl, with probably 15 years old, walks to the stage. She has black hair, and green eyes. She isn't from the Seam. I would know her. I don't remember seeing her before. Probably I've spot her in school, but never payed much attention to her. No one volunteer for her. Effie puts her hand in the ball again, and grabs the second paper. I close my eyes, and say to myself "Please, don't be Prim, don't be Prim."

"Primrose Everdeen!"

But it is. Of course it is. Is the Capitol that we're talking about. They have no mercy. She fixes her blouse, putting it inside the skirt, and starts walking to the stage. I fix my eyes in Madge, and she's frozen in her place. After a few seconds, she opens and her mouth and say out loud. "I volunteer!" she says, looking just like you, getting in the middle of the peacekeepers. She isn't pushing, or desesperate like you were. But she's scared. Prim is completely lost, so I pull her out of the way, and get her back to her mother, who hugs her tight. Madge is up in the stage now, close to that Parker girl. She looks at me, with a severe look, probably don't wanting me to volunteer to help her. But I promised in your name, Catnip. So of course I couldn't break that promise. Effie is asking her her name and why did she volunteer. I don't hear the name of the boy that follows Madge, because I'm too busy making sure Prim's okay. But it's a boy from the Seam. Tobias, I think. He's 12, and has no siblings, so no one volunteered for him. He's really thin and looks like about to faint. Effie is once again with the hand looking for other paper, but now in the boys' ball. She takes a little piece of paper and reads.

"Rory Hawthorne!" Of course. He try to make it quick. To run to the stage before I can volunteer, but I'm faster than him.

"I voluunter as tribute!" I scream.

"Gale, you can't, you…"

I pass by him, ignoring his cries for me stop being so stupid. I won't let my little brother in that arena. I won't them take him from me like they did to you. I get in the stage, and Effie seems a bit exited. I can almost hear her thoughts. "Two volunteers? That's better than last year! I'm totally going to another district next year."

"What's your name, sweetie?"

I look at her, hiding and the disgust I feel for her and this whole games.

"I'm Gale Hawthorne." I say, in a low voice.

"So that's your brother."

"What do you think?" I ask, rudely. She backs off, and the peacekeepers take us to the building where we'll have to wait until they're ready to take us to the slaughter.


	9. Chapter 8

I'm sitting alone in the couch, waiting for my family to come say goodbye. I'm nervous, Catnip. But I'm not afraid. No. I know Prim will be fine. At least, for one more year. The door opens, and my family comes in. Posy hugs me tight, scared.

"You have to win." She whispers. "You have to get back home, Gale, you do. If you lose that big machine is going to take you away."

"I'm going back home, I promise you."

Rory is away from me, looking kinda hurt.

"I told you. I didn't need you to volunteer for me." I opened my mouth to talk back, but he just hugged me. "Please take care. Don't do anything stupid. Just… Just please, get back home." I nodded.

"You have to be strong, Rory. I'm trusting you to take care of your family, ok? I know you can do this. You're an amazing boy; you're capable of taking care of all of them. You know how to hunt, right? I'm sure they'll turn off the fence sooner or later. Just take care of them if…"

"There's no if! You're coming back, Gale, I know you are." I just nod. I know that's what he wants to hear. That in a few weeks I'll be safe and sound at home. But that was a lie. I wasn't really looking forward to staying alive. I mean Rory really _can_ hunt, and my mom even got a job. They don't need me anymore. But I couldn't leave Prim alone. Vick hugged me too. I looked at my mom. She was at the corner, hugging herself, looking quite pale.

"Mum…" I say.

"Just don't let your heroisms be stronger than your will to live ok?" when I was about to answer, the peacekeepers walked in, the one who whipped me giving me a sadistic smile, and took my family out of the room. And then, Prim got in the room, and hugged me. She was trembling slightly.

"Please come back home." She says, between tears.

"Prim, I can't promis…"

"Please, you have to. I can't lose you too."

"I promise I'll do everything to get home, ok?"

She nods, and puts her hand on her pocket, taking out a photography from there. I raise my eyebrows, confused.

"It's… I thought you'd like to have this." She says handing me. It's was you, Catnip. You were in the woods. Probably the day that you tried to take Prim there. You were lovely. The sun was touching your face and you were smiling awkwardly, and your eyes were so full of life. You were so full of life, with your hair in a braid, sitting next to the lake where we used to spend lazy Sundays.

"Thank you, Prim." I say. "It means a lot to me." She nods again. "I think you should go, before the peace…" she hugs me again, but she doesn't say anything this time. The peacekeepers once again pull her out, and she doesn't have the strength to fight. I know how she must feel. She lost you, and now that she's healing, she can lose me. I'm not such a big part of her life, but I know that I was helping her almost as much as she was helping me. I leave the room, knowing there it wasn't anyone that was going to visit me. I walked to the train, and Madge and the two other kids were already there, sitting each one in a chair, looking extremely nervous. I sit down.

"Look, Gale." Madge starts to say, looking really determined. "You can say whatever you want, but I don't want your help in the arena." I open my mouth, just ready to argue with her. "No. You keep your mouth shut. All I'm saying is I was thinking about volunteering for Prim before you even talked to me. I mean, Katniss died to keep Prim alive, and I'm not letting Katniss die for nothing. Even though you don't believe it, Gale, Katniss was my best friend too, and I'm not letting her die in vain. And we all know that Prim needs you alive to heal from her sister's death, so you're going back home, you're going to worry about yourself, and yourself only in that freaking arena, and if you ever try to help me, I'll quick you in the balls."

I close my mouth, and I hear a little giggle come out of that girl, Emma, mouth.

"What are you laughing at?" I ask rudely.

"Nothing." She says. "You are that girl, Katniss' cousin, right?" I look at her. Cousins? And then I remember. Yes. Cousin. I don't think you know Catnip, but we were cousins. The capitol couldn't think that we were close to be a couple. So we were cousins.

"Yes." I reply her.

"You must miss her. My cousin also died in the Hunger Games you know, it was two years ago." I nodded, not really listening to her. I take your picture out of my pocket and look at it. It's unthinkable that you, the girl in this picture, my Catnip, isn't in this world anymore. It isn't fair, is it? We should be at home right now, in the woods, cheering that once again, both of us were safe and sound. But instead, you're six feet under the ground and I'm going to the arena.


End file.
